One would think that after seven consecutive victories by the American League, I would learn my lesson and root for the league with the designated hitter. But going into Tuesday's All-Star Game, I still had faith in the National League. It never failed.

Okay, it might have flinched when Miguel Tejada launched John Smoltz's pitch over the outfield fence in the second inning. It may have wobbled slightly after Ichiro Suzuki slapped a single for two runs in the fourth. It might have blinked and mispronounced Mark Teixeira's name after he hit a two-run homer off of Oakland native, Dontrell Willis. But my faith never failed.

The National League was down by seven runs going into the seventh inning, but battled back belatedly. They scored at least one run in each of the last three innings. Moises Alou, San Francisco's lone representative, doubled and scored one of the N.L.'s five runs. He also walked. (The other Bay Area player, Oakland's Justin Duchscherer, didn't make an appearance.) They're late-inning comeback boosted my faith and kept it afloat until the last miserable and predictable out.

For better or worse, the All-Star Game now "means something". The winning American League earns home field advantage in the World Series. I don't understand it. If it's supposed to help boost fan interest and television ratings, it isn't working. They should simply flip a coin to decide which team receives the postseason advantage. It's a lot cheaper and allows the Midsummer Classic to be more like the exhibition game it's supposed to be and less like a World Series game played two and a half months before the World Series. Until it reverts back to a superstar showcase, I have to keep hoping the National League will break the eight-game streak and take next year's game.